America’s Oldest Restaurants – According To Business Week

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2009/sb20090512_563898.htm

…Takes you through a list of America’s oldest restaurants.

The inclusion of The Berghoff and Delmonico’s, however, is inexcusable. The Berghoff — formerly one of ELV’s favorite places in the world — closed in ’06. (In response to a posted comment: The Berghoff closed as a full service restaurant, but the space is available for catered events. In our eyes, if a place wants credit and publicity for being a continuous service restaurant, it needs to remain open as a continuous service restaurant.)

Delmonico’s has had more incarnations than James Bond, and the new “Delmonico’s” has as much in common with the original as Daniel Craig does with Sean Connery — two blokes who, likewise, never performed in the same location. Every owner, franchisee or whatever of whatever restaurant calling itself Delmonico’s loves the publicity it gets from the historic name, but that name is the only thing Delmonico’s has in common with the original operation — which closed in the 1930’s — after moving seven times in over a hundred years. The current Delmonico’s is owned by a group who took over the old location of the last Delmonico’s when it really was Delmonico’s, even though the restaurant by that name had been out of operation for some time when they did so, and others had used the name (but not the location) in the ensuing years. Got that?

Conclusion: Any Delmonico’s claiming to be a descendant of the original is a fraud and a joke.

Remember: Don’t Mess With The Zohan on these things…but please post comments and ask questions so our staff can serve as a beacon of light, and a constant source of clarification on these weighty matters.

New Orleans alone has a handful of places — Galatoire’s, Arnaud’s, et al — that have decades on some of these spots…and Nino’s in Atlanta isn’t even the oldest restaurant in that town. (Atkins Park – around since 1922, has a much stronger argument)

Still it’s a fun tour through some venerable spots that, even after 100+ years, deserve a shout out.

FYI: ELV has eaten in all but four of these twenty-two places: Breitbach’s, Gluek’s, El Charro and Clifton’s….but who in their right mind would eat in a place called Breitbach’s or Gluek’s anyway?

8 thoughts on “America’s Oldest Restaurants – According To Business Week”

  1. How could they leave Rao’s off the list? Opened in 1896 in East Harlem, it’s still the toughest reservation in the country to get (take that David Chang). Of course, that could be exactly why they left it off the list, I’m sure that writer has never had the chance to eat Aunt Anna’s meatballs or Uncle Vincent’s Famous Lemon Chicken while being served a dirty martini by Nick “The Vest”. If she had – they would have certainly made the list.

  2. I am surprised they ommitted Antoine’s in New Orleans, established in 1840.

  3. Nice omission of Musso & Frank in Hollywood (1919). I’ll let the writer slip on Phillippe’s, since it moved to its current location in 1951.

  4. I’m pretty sure Antione’s was there – at least it’s part of the slide show.

  7. Dear readers and loyal posters,

    Please see amended post with clarification on the tortured history of Delmonico’s NYC.

    Bon appetit,

    ELV

  8. Yes, Musso’s in Hollywood is a serious omission.
    Is the Old Homestead in NYC in there? (don’t expect me to flip thru their silly slide show) What about Yona Shimmel on Houston?

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